Universal feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



DgNoBLB. VERSL FBEDING MEGHNSM FORV SEWING MACHINES.

UNE

Patented Jan. 7', 19113. -I

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

l v1J. NOBLE. 4 4- vUNIVERSAL FEBDING MBCHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

'- APPLICATION FILED TBB. 1'1. 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913;

l -D. NOBLE. y UNIVERSAL FEEDING MEGHANISM POR SEWING MACH ES. i,

Patented Jan.' 7, .1913.`

Y WITNESSESI. @fia D.-- NDBLE.` yUNIVERSAL FEBDINGMBOHNSM POR SEWING MACHINES.

APLIoAjL'loN FILED 1215.11, 1911.

`1,049,593 Patented 1811111913.

ATTORNEY D- NOBLB UNIVERSAL FBEDINGUMEGHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

e sHEETs-SHBBT 5.A

ww. w w@ TTOHNEY D. NOBLE. UNIVERSAL PEEDING MBCHANISM F011 SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FII-.114D ILBAI, 1911.

1,049,593. Patented Jam-,1913,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNTED DONALD NOBLE, OF BRDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASS'IGNCR TO THE SINGER, MANU FACTURING COMPANY, A COR-PRTION OF NEW' JERSEY.

UNIVERSL 'FEEDING IVIECHANISM FOR SEiNG-MACHNES.

Ltetb. la'tented dan. 7, 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ject of' the King of Great Britain, residing mounted to rotate in a plane oblique to that journaled in bearings 5 and 6 secured in the common to the earlier forms of construction, 4 arm standard 2. thus positioning the hand-crank more con- 7 is the needle-bar crank connection, convenient of hand manipulation and permitnetted at one end With the crank 8 and at its ting the operator to sit at the machine in a opposite end with the needle-bar actuating more upright and less tiresome position. lever 9,'said lever being secured on a ful- F or a more convenient understanding of vCrum-pin 10 ljournaleo in suitable bearings the present invention it is herein shown and formed in the bracket 1l, which latter is described ineonnection with the -crank-hemsuitably secured to the member 3 'of the stitch einbroidering machine representedby bracketarm, the forward end of said needlen the United States pending application Ser. bar actuating lever being operatively con- No. 401,644, filed November 1l, 1907, -of nected, through a suitable connection as'l2., le

at Bridgeport, in the countyof Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Feeding Mechanism for Sewiiig-lilaehines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms for sewing machines -ivlierein the directioiiof the feed of the fabric is manually controlled through a suitable hand-crank mounted convenient of ma# nipulation, and important to the objects at.- tained is the providing of improved means for preventing such manual control `except ivlien'the feeding mechanism'is being act-uated to feed the/fabric, and to locate said hand-crank more convenient of manipulation.

in the earlier forms of construction of sewing machines of the character referred to above, it'lias been the common practice to Inount the hand-crank veither in a plane cor` responding with or 'transverse to the plane `of the feed of the material, both methods of which compel the operator to sit the inachine in an unnatural position, which, when long continued, becomes exceedingly tiresome, as will be readily understood by taking a position at a sewing machine convenient to its operation and giving to the hand the necessary movements to-turn the crank handle, located below the bedqilate, in either a horizontal or vertical plane. To make more convenient such manual manipulation of the `l'iand-crank, the latter is herein the specific construction of stitch-forming Origiial application filed November il, 1907, Serial No. 401.644. Divde and this application led February 11, 1911. 'l

Serial No. 607,89?.

and cloth-feeding mechanisms represented by the pending application above referred to` only suc-h details in construction, of the last mentioned mechanisms, will be referred to as are deemed necessary to properly deline the invention.

ln the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are sin'iilarly designated.

'Figure 1 is a view in froijit'side elevation o a universal feed sewing machine embodying the improved mechanism, the bed-plate and ann-standard being slioivnin sect-ion. F ig. 2 is a rear side elevation partially in section to better illustrate the mechanism for controlling the feed' of the material. Fig. 3 is a vienv in perspective of the mechanism located in and carried" by the rotary cylinder mounted in the free end ofthe bracket-arm. Fig. is a 'vertical central section of the rotary cylinder referred to in Fig. 3. Fig. is a detail view of the clutch mechanism for controlling the time at which the direction of the feed movements may be changed. Fig. 6 is a rear side elevation partiallyr broken away to better'illustrate the means with the upper end of the hollow needie-bar 18. The need'lebar `13 is mounted to move vertically in suitable bea-rings formed in the spectively.

- 2 0 sthe' looper-actuating crank connection, connected at one end with the crank 21 and at its opposite end with the looper-actuatin lever 22 mounted to oscillate in a brac et 23 suitably secured to the under side of the bedplate,` the forward end of the lever.22 being operatively connected with the looptaker driving ring 24, whose opp'ositelyarranged vertical vmovements gives to the loop-takers 25 and 26 their stitchformingrmovements.

o, the underside of the bed-plate is -suitablyfsecured a bracket 27 into which is rota` tably mounted a standard 28 carrying a4 toothed disk29 .into which latter is rotay tably -secured the lower end of the looptakercarriers 30 and l31, theirlupper ends being 'ournaled in a two-armed bracket 32 carri b Asaid standard, said bracketl having suita ly secured to it a throat-platel 33 provided with a sliding needle-plate 34, the pla-te 33 being journaled in the cloth-plate in a manner toform the upper fulcrum of the standard 28, thus permitting the looptakers to revolve about the axis of said standard and to be independently oscillated upon their own axis.

From the foregoing it will be understood that throughthe connections pointed out the rotation of the crank 8 transmits vertical movements to the needle-bar and that the crank 21 transmits oscillatory movements to the loop-taker.

36 represents a hand-crank shaft, the uppe# end of which is mounted in a bearing 37 vformed in a bracket 38 later to be referred to, its lower end being mounted in a bearing 39- formed in a bracket 40 secured to a lug 41 forming a part of the bedlate, the lower -end ofthe crank-shaft 36 eing provided with a hand-crank consisting of an arm 42 and crank-handle43, the bearings 37 and 39 being arranged to position the hand-crank shaft voblique to the plane of the upper surface of the cloth-plate, thus givingV to the crank-handle rotary movements in a like oblique plane.

Upon the upper end of the crank-shaft 36 is secured a beveled gear 46 which meshes with a like gear 47 secured on a horizontal shaft 48, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings formed in the member 3 of the bracket-arm. The forward end of the shaft 48 is provi ed with a second gear 49 which meshes wit 'a like gear 50 carried by an upright shaft 51 which, in turn, is mounted in vertically arranged bearings 52 and 53 forming'a part of said member 3, and to Near the lower 'tend of the hand-crank shaft 36 secured-a'bevel-gear 56 which meshes wlth a like gear 57 mounted on a 4second horizontal shaft 58, which latter is mounted to rotate -in suitable bearings lo- -cated at the underside of the bed-plate. To the forward end of the shaft 58 is secured a gear v59 which coacts with a like gear 60 carried by the upright shaft 61 mounted at its lower end in a bearing formed in the bracket 27, and `at its upper end in a bracket 62 secured by suitable screws (not shown), to the under side of the bed-plate, the lower end of said uprigh-t shaft being provided with a toothed disk 63 which meshes with the toothed disk 29 carried by the standard 28, thus completing the train of mechanism between the crank-handle 4 3 and the looptakers 25 and 26, and said crank-handle and the cylinder l5, for actuating said looptakers and cylinder and parts carried by said' cylinder synchronously and about a common axis. y

That the needle-threads may follow the rotation ofthe cylinder and the needles carried by said cylinder, there is mounted upon the bracket-arm a bracket 64, the upper end of which comprises a circular portion 65 into which is journaled the hub 66 of the toothed disk 67, and to the upper side of said hub is secured by suitable screws, (not shown), a disk 68 carrying the elements for furnishin and directing the sewing threads to the ho low needle-bar 13, To effect the rotation of the toothed disk 67 there is provided an upright shaft 69 carrying at its upper end the toothed ,disk 70' and at its opposite end the toothed disk. 71, said shaft 69 being journaled at its upper end in the bracket 64 and at its lower end in the element 3 of the bracket-arm, the toothed disk 70 meshing with the toothed disk 67 and the toothed disk 71 with the toothed disk 55, thus transmitting to the toothed disk 67 and parts carried by it, the necessaryrotary movements.

The usual needle threads are passed from the supply through the respective tensions 72 72, thread-loopers 73 73, central threadguide 74, thread opening (not shown), formed in the free end of the take-up lever 75 and through the eye 76 formed in the bracket 77 secured by screw 78 to the circlilar portion 65 of the bracket 64, followed by passing said threads down through the hollow needle-bar-and out through suitable thread-openings (not shown), to the threadeyes of the respective needles 18 and 19. The loop-takers are provided with the usual bobbins and thread, (not shown), which latter ooncatenates with the needle-threads to cam-'disk 82 formed integral with a hollow` form stitches in the usual manner. The take-up lever 75 is securedv to the upper' end of the vertically arrangedA rock-shaft Z9 journaled in a suitable bearing formed in the bracket 11 and actuated :troma suitable cam-groove formed in the cam later to be referred to.

80 represents a bevel-gear carried by the crank-shaft` 4, said gear meshing with a bevel-gear 81 secured to tne inner face of a cam-shaft 83, the latter mo' Itted to turn on a. short shaft 84 secured by .screw 85 to a bearing 86 formed integral with the member 3 of the bracket-arm. The gears 80 and 81 are of the ratio of three to one, thus eft'ecting one rotation of the gear 81 to three complete actuationsl of the stitch-forming mechanism. 87 is a second cam-disk carried by the hollow shaft 83 and provided at its periphery With a cam-groove 83 which, through thetale-up arm 87 and roller 87"' transmits Inlotion to the takeup lever 75, and at one side provided With cani portion SS, which latter coacts with the free end of the oscillating bellcrankdever 89 mounted on a shaft 90 journaled in suitable bearings formed in the member 3. @ne end of the lever 89 is provided'with a forked projection 9], which embraces a slide-block 92,

Shown only in dotted lines Fig. 6, pivoted.

on a stud-screw; Y93 secured in the bracketf K- collar 94, said bracket-collar being-secured b pinch-screw 95 to the upper end of the c l-,bth-presser carrying bar 96. The upper ter to' more',.fencicallyv in the depending shaft.97, which shaftis Avsecured by a screw three lock stitches, or at the completion of each embroidery stitch.A

As the. piercer 102 comprises an element which may or may not be used in connection with the seamr formation, dependent upon the character of the 'product required, it is believed that its actuating and controlling elements xvill be -suiliciently referred to in connection with the; later description of other elements more-or less closely related thereto. a

103 represents the step or feeding foot operated through suitable connections from a. cam-groove104 formed in the cam-disk .105 (see Fig. 1) butpasiitwis Well'understood that certain varieties of universal feed sewperiphery of A av feeding toot.

106 represents a two-part lever secured together upon a recit-shaft 10T, journaled in the free end oif the bracket-arm, to move synchronously together, one end of said lever being provided Wit-h a suitable roller which tracks the cani-groove 104, the opposite end of said lever being provided with a suitable roller which cooperates with the groove 108 formed in the feed-ring 109. rllhe cam-groove 104, throughthe connections hlast pointed out, acts to move said feed-ring vertically in opposite directions once during the formation of each enibroidely stitch.

110 and 111 represent the arms of a twoarined operating lever joined together at the lower ends and provided with a lug 112, the respective arms being pivoted, as at 113, on suitable lugs (notshown), forming a part ot the respectivevbrackets 44 and 45, which latter are permanently secured, by suitable screws (not shown) to the inner Wall of the cylinder 15. The arms 110 and 111 are'provided at their upper ends With angular portions 114 and 115 which pass throughsuitable openings formed in said cylinder 'and coact With'the feed-ring 109a The lug 112 extends downwardly into an opening in the feeder-head 116, which latter vforms a part of the swinging' frame 14, said lug coacting With the Ainner end of an adjusting screw 117 held against accidental movement by a nut 118.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the feed-ring is moved upward its action upon the'angular portion 114 and 115, of the two-armed lever, causes the lug 112 to oscillate the frame 14 and parts carried by it, said frame being returned to its `normal position by a spring 119, shown in dotted lines only, Fig. 3, which, at one end rests in a suitable depression formed at the inner side of the bracket 120, the latter secured to the feeder-head 116 by the screw 121, the opposite. end of said spring resting roo in a suitable depression formed in the outer 1 vert1cally on the cylinder 15, said ring being actuated, through suitable connections, including theltwo-part lever 128 by 'a suitable cam-groove formed on the inner side of the cam-disk 87 to move the piercer and feeding foot away from the material once A for each complete actuation of the needleto be described, control the lateral move-` ments of the needles.

135 represents a two-part' rock-levee' mounted on the rock-shaft: 90 and carrying at one end a suitable roller which tracks in said cam-groove, and at its outer end/is operatively connected with a needle-actuating ring 136 mounted upon the cylinder 15. The ring 136 has secured to its inner wall a suitable bracket which passes througlra suitable opening in' the cylinder 15,"`"which bracket is provide-d with a suitable lug which enters the opening 137 formed in the needle cam-shaft 138.V The shaft 138 is mounted at its upper end in a bearing 139. carried vby the swinging frame 14, its lower end entering a bearing 140 formed in the feederhead 116. It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the bracket connecting the ring`136 with the camshaft 138 as its application is evidentfrom the nature of thev construction. i

141 and 142 represent the 'needle-vibrating rock-levers pivoted. on'. cdmplemental .studscrews 143 threaded into suitable lugs formed on the feeder-head 116, the upper ends of the respect-ive levers being provided with rollers and carrying at their opposite ends the respectivestuds 144 and 145. Upon the stud 144 is mounted a. rocking guideblock 146 and upon the'stud 145 is mounted a like block 147,' said blocks being provided with complemental openings through which pass the respective slide-rods 148 and 149, the lower end of the rod 148 b'eing secured in the needle-clamp 16 and the rod 149 in the clamp 17. y Y

150 and 151 represent inclines formed on the needle cam-shaft 138, said inclines terminatingjn the respect-ive straightsurfaces 152 and 153 and coacting with the respective On the inner side of theA to the needles the necessary oscillatory movements to form the embroidery stitch.

To guard against the operator interfering with the feed of the material except vat such time as it is being advanced under the needle, the canrdisk 105 is provided with a cam sectionV 155 and the cam-disk 87 with a complemental camsection 155', said cam sections coacting with the respective rollers 156 and 157 carried by the respective brake levers 158 and 159, whichlatter are pivoted on the .respective screws 160 and 161 threaded into the bracket 38. l

The bracket 38 is provided with 'a' short Shaft 162 which enters a bearing 163 formed in the standard 2, thus permitting said bracket to take its proper angle with respect to the shaft 36.

165 and 166 represent wedge-shaped brakeshoes provided with compleinental recesses 167, oneonly of which is shown, in which are threaded the inner ends of complementa] screws 168 which latter are threaded through-the respective levers 158 and 159. said screws being held against accidental movement by suitable jamsnuts.V

169 represents the brake-pulley secured on the shaft 36 and provided with a V-shapel `groove 170 corresponding in shape to the iting surfaces of the brake-shoes 165 and 1 ,6.

4171 represents a spring, one end of which is secured to tliellever 158, its opposite end being attached to the lever 159. thus acting to resiliently hold the brake-shoes into the groove 170 in opposition to the action of the cam-sections 155 and its complementa] cam-section carried by the cam-disk S7. From the foregoing itwill be understood that when the cam-sections last. above menA tioned, act on the respective rollers 156 and rollers'through the connections described, to in speed, which latter is one ot' the chief obthe resiliency of the spring 154. thus giving I. jects of the present invention in providing 130 rock the needles outwardly `in opposition to 157, which occurs during the feeding of the material, the levers 158 and 159 are moved to release the brake-shoes from contact with the groove 170 formed in the pulley 16,9.

that the time allowed for manually rotating the needles is limited to the time that they are out of the fabric, which, even when the machine is operated at comparativel)v slow speed, is extremely small and any construction which benefits this condition of manual control permits of a proportionate.increase incassa a brake/device in which release and control is effected through the smallest possible movement of the brake shoe or slices The employment of a plurality of brake-shoes, as herein-shown and described, While desiraile is not essential as a single hrakeshoe would meet the functional requirements ci venton.

Having thus setJ forth the nai; invention, what l claim here? l. ln a sewing machine, 4, with stitch formi-ng mechanism and versal feeding mechanism, means for changing the direction of operation et the feeding mechanism, or normal@r acting means for applying a yielding resistance to the action of the f'eed-direction-changing means, and means automatically operated after the production of each group or succession of stitches of predetermined number to interrupt said yielding resistance.

in sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and un salfeedingl mechanism, and means, i ing a rotary shaft, for changing `the e tion of operation of the feeding mechanism,

' cfa friction Wheel mounted 'ipo-n said "oproduction "of each group or succession or tary shaft, a brakeshoe in normal oper engagement with said friction v means automatically operated af* and r the pro duction of each group or succession of stitches oi predetermined number to interrupt the operative relation ci: the hralreshoe Witn said frictionfivheel. i

3. In a usesvi'ng machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and univer'- sal feedingsmechanism, and means, including a rotary shaft and manually operated \turi2i11g means therefor, for changing the direction of operation of the feeding mech a\11ism,of a `rictioli-Wheel mounted upon said rotary shaft, a brake-slice in normal operative'erigagement With said `lriction-Wheel, and means automatically operated for theE stitches of predetermined number 'to interrupt the operative relation of the brake-shoe with said friction-Wheel.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination With stitclvforming mechanism and universal feeding mechanism, and meansincluding a rotary member and manually actuated turning means therefor whereby the directic-n oi operation ofthe! feeding mechanism may oe changed, of a brake-Wheel carried by said rotary memlaer, brakeshoes upon oppo site sides of said brake-Wheel, vibratory levers hy which said brake-shoes are car kried., a spring for drawing said levers to lgether, means acting periodicaliy to separate said levers for relieving the presfsure of the malte-shoes upon 'said brake-- wheel. v

L 5.-n a sewing niaclri1`e;the combination with over-seamingstitch-forming ine-cha-j Wer- 'nisms and a eed-direction-changing 'nisms and a eed-direction-changing nism including a laterally jogging needvie, feeding mechanism, and manually actuated rning means for `said stitch-forming and' mieres, or a cam member from Tle-:ifigging movements dewiieel mounted upon opot' said. turning means, e, ormai operatie-e relation with erative Ame hilaire-shoe in niemeer ann fie perative relation ,zewvheel is pericoliricliine, the combination,

ed with a cloth-plate ited the bracket-- "ing mani ine, the coi'noination #te provided with a clotlnpla'e inted the bracket-a v and recours t 1 ism and i eed-direction-cn mechan-Y isnoperatiffely conr L i e 'former' mechanism said on-cnangi 'f e side nearest th,l operator and having rotary movements an eiiective plane substantialiy. oblique to the plane or' the upper surface said clothd plate, the i/cle of vement of said hand l@ hein@ partiaiiy sunder Vand partially omi rsaidloedplate. i 8, in sewing machine, the combination of rotary stitclis'lorming and feeding mecl'ia .l below said ted-L.

nism operatively/connorted with the mechanisms, said feed-direction-chan mechanism including hand-crank il mounted to rotate in 'bearingsA arranged oli` lique to the anis oi' rotation oi: said stitchorming and 'feeding mechanisms, the upper or said bearings being pivotally mourned in aupart stationary with. respect 'to the actuating mechanism of the sewing machine.

9. in sewing machine, the comhinati'orof rotary stitch-forming and feeding mecha! t' mechanism operatively connected with the former mechanisms, said feed direction changing mechanism including` a hand-crank shaft mounted to rotate in bea-rings arranged oliliqne to the axis of yrotation of said stitch-- forming and feeding mechanisms, the upper of said bearings being pivotally mounted in the hracket-arm of the sewing machine,

it). in a sewing-machine, the combination v of a rotary stitch-forming mechanism, a rotary feeding mechanism operatively connected with the latter, a feedsdirectionchanging mechanism operatively Connected with the former mechanisms, said feed-direction-changing mechanism including a hand-crank shaft mounted to rotate on an axis oblique to the axis of rotation of said stitchforming and feeding mechanisms, means normally act-ing to applyT a resistance to the action of the feed-direction-changing mechanism, and means automatically operated, after the production of each group or succession of stitches of predetermined number, to interrupt the normal action of said resistance means.

I1. In a sewing machine, the combination of a .rotary stitch-forming mechanism, a roj .cally operated, after the production of each` group or succession of stitches of predetermined number, to interrupt the normal .action of said yielding resistance means.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination fof a rotary stitch-forming mechanism, a ro. tary feeding mechanism operatively connected with the latter, a feed-direction changing mechanism operatively connected 'with the former mechanisms, said feed-direction-changing mechanism including a handcrank shaft and a hand-crank, the latter mounted to rotate on an axis oblique to the axis of rotation of said stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, means normally acting to apply a resistance to the action of the feed direction changing mechanism, and means automatically operated, after the production of each group or succession y of stitches of predetermined number, to inter-y rupt the normal action of said resistance means.

. 13. In a sewing machine, the combination of a rotary stitch-forming mechanism, a rotary feeding mechanism operatively connected with the latter, al feed-directionchanging mechanism operatively connected with the former mechanisms, said feed-direction-changing mechanism including a hand-crank shaft mounted to rotate 0n an avis oblique to the axisv of rotation of said stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, including a grooved pulley and coacting brakeshoe, means normally acting to apply a resistance to the action of the feed-directionchanging mechanism, and means automati cally operated, after the production of each group or succession of stitches of predetermined number, to interrupt the normal action of said resistance means.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name` to this specification, in the presence of two 'subscribing witnesses.

' DONALD NOBLE. Witnesses:

THOMAS CAMPBELL, ABBIE M. Do'NiHnE. 

